This Love
by prettykittydarling
Summary: a young witch unable to control her powers is helped by Henry. He teaches her more than control, he helps her heal from the scars her father left her and trust turns to an atypical love story. i know im bad with summaries please read anyway.
1. Chapter 1

**This Love**

**Alright my first blood ties fic…I'm a little scared. But I hope it turns out ok. Has anyone read the book series too? its so amazing!! **

**I want to say here that this will not be a typical oc/henry love story AT ALL. So brace yourselves. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Blood Ties and the song is by Sarah Brightman**

This love

This love is a strange love

A faded kind of day love

This love

This love

I think I'm gonna fall again

And even when you held my hand

It didn't mean a thing

This love

This love

Never has to say love

Doesn't know it is love

This love

This love

Doesn't have to say love

Doesn't need to be love

Doesn't mean a thing

This love

This love, oh-oh-oh ...

This strange love (strange love)

This love, ... (lines are repeated several times)

This love

Prologue

It was unsurprisingly cold, maybe because it was raining and I was outside. It wasn't surprising, it had rained every day this week and I wasn't expecting any luck at the last minute to maybe help me out with a dry night.

I closed my eyes, taking another drag from my cigarette, and felt the weightless rain drops fall on my head and face, along with whatever skin was showing. It made me chill, and wish that I was inside a Timmies somewhere, sipping a mocha and looking out the window with a new book to occupy me. Hell, it's my fantasy I'll even throw in a cruller.

A rather large raindrop slopped on my head. Fuck. Its not that I minded the rain so much, more the fact that I would probably be sleeping in it. Or I could just not sleep again. Maybe I should see how many nights I could do that and not collapse.

I wasn't feeling so hot already, it could be the lack of actual food, the overabundance of my cigarette habit, the lack of sleep, and the general lack of home that contributed to my weak health. I was running mainly on smokes and nerves.

I checked out the street, as usual for this time of night it was grey, dark, and wet with a handful of people. I watched a streetlamp flicker feebly and grinned. Like anyone would be coming to fix it. Just a few more shadows to hide in the neighbourhood.

The flame from my butt burned my fingers and I dropped it in surprise. it was immediately soaked, but it was finished anyway so I wouldn't mourn its loss. I still had another few…cartons…in the beat up duffel bag I always carried around with me. It was roomier than a backpack and I could lose it easy in a fight instead of fumbling around with straps.

Fuck I was really getting soaked. I couldn't even feel my nose anymore, and was feeling my hands start to go numb. I stood up, wincing at the uncomfortable pain of standing up on legs that had gone to sleep. I shook them out a bit.

What a loser. Sitting outside in the pouring rain, my smoke in a puddle on the ground, and clearly looking like I had no better place to go.

I briefly looked over the few people on the street. A pair of hookers, both in tiny skirts and wearing enough make-up to shock a clown, stood on the corner, smoking. I knew the younger girl in red, she was even younger than I was. On more than one occasion out of sheer desperation I had joined them and felt sick and used after.

A couple people walked down the street, quickly and purposefully, not wanting to linger. They mainly went to the piece of shit apartments nearby, some went into the little shops around here. The only place I really liked on this street was the dimly lit café a little way down. The coffee was bitter and sometimes scraped up from the bottom of the pot, and the mochas were enough to make you gag; but they were cheap and the older waitress there didn't mind if I stuck around all night as long as I bought something.

There was a small group of teens trying to hide in between the shadows os buildings. Tiny lights glowed through the dark, a mixed smell of sweet pot smoke and cigarette smoke reached my nostrils. What the hell, I walked over.

I probably don't look my best either. Scratch that, I definitely didn't. But my low-rise, of course shoplifted ripped jeans slid low on my hips, a size too big and showed my tiny waist and tattoos. I had on a big, bulky black jacket and a tiny black tank top underneath, cropped enough to show off my dangling gold bellybutton ring. The low cut of the shirt revealed my breasts, the pool of water slid between them making them appear larger. And even if my hair wasn't washed, with how soaked it was and the way it clung to my shoulders and cheeks curling damply, no one would be able to tell.

I paused when I reached them, and checked them out, seeing them check me out in return. Three boys, one girl. The boys were all relatively tall, with big jackets and jeans that looked stained with grass, oil, and dirt. They were heavy metal band tees that looked worn and faded in places.

The girl was quite pretty. She wore big, monstrous combat boots that overpowered her tiny physique. Ripped fishnets hung limply, her black skirt too short and her unbuttoned coat too long. Her hair hung in limp curls, and she looked about as tired as I was. But her face was pretty, despite the deep circles under her bright, heavily lined, eyes; her lips were full and her cheekbones elegantly pronouced.   
Evidentally I passed their little test and they gave me a nod. I pulled a five from my pocket. "Mind if I have some?" I asked.

The blond who looked like the leader nodded at the girl who took it, smiling, and passed me a fattie to split with her.

"I'm Gina," she said. "This is Rick, Lucas, and Mike."

"Micheal?" I asked. "Like the angel?"

"Yeah," said blondie. "I'm not an angel thought," he laughed.

I smiled back at him. "I can believe that." We hung out for a while, smoking weed and cigarettes, until Gabe got bored and said he wanted to head to some club. By then I'd gathered that Gina was his girlfriend, and the other boys had said they wanted to head home to watch some movies while they were still tripping out.

"What club?" I asked.

"Las Noches," he answered. "Goth club, if you don't mind. Probably fit right in."

"Can you get me in?" I asked, and Gina laughed.

"'Course he can. We go all the time!" she snuggled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He gave her a lingering kiss on the lips and then turned to me.

"You want to come?" he asked.

Hmm…party all night with some new friends with money for smokes, booze, and pot; or ditch and spend the night wandering in the rain and looking for an overhang somewhere to sleep under before any crackheads could get to it. Tough choice.

"I'm coming," I said.

Which turned out to be the best decision I'd ever made. Because there, I met Henry.

**Please review I will love you forever if you do **

**Ps: anyone ever been homeless?? Im surprised I havent been when lots of my friends have at one point or another. Came pretty damn close a few times lol. **


	2. Chapter 2

**To:**

**Shadows88: YAY my first review for this story!! As promised, my love is yours forever lol. Thanks so much for reviewing me it made me really really happy and enourages me to keep going!! I'm glad you've been lucky in your life, sometimes I wish that I had too but oh well **_**c'est la vie**_** and all that. Anyway, I hope you're pleased with the quick update!! **

**My Lover: don't worry I won't. lol remember the Death Scenes of you in Mexico?? Those were funny. And no, you DON'T know what happens now because I changed it MWAHAHAHAHA…anyway lol. The sex scence will be coming…but when? hehehe**

**Oh lol I had to call my chapters 'scenes' cause they are not supposed to have the same name**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood Ties and the lyrics are from Skillet**

**Chapter One**

**Whispers In The Dark **

You feel so lonely and ragged

You lay there broken and naked

My love is just waiting

To clothe you in crimson roses

I didn't know how important this night would be to my life at the time however. All I knew was that my night was turning out to be better than expected. We stopped a few times while walking to smoke more, Micheal passed out the weed and I was generous with my cigarettes.

We spent time talking, laughing, conversation getting slower and stupider. By the time we reached the club I was thoroughly stoned. My vision was slightly blurred around the edges, colours blending together beautifully.

In my vision, even the mostly deserted street was a thing of marvel. The roads were wet, slick, and shining: a blur of rainbow lights that reflected everything from cars to streetlamps. Shadows stretched out like demonic hands, reaching, surrounding. The light was hazy, ethreal. I felt a familiar hum in my ears, a pounding in my brain like being in a room that was too loud and the lights too bright. I knew I probably wasn't walking too steadily: the ground seemed to shift underneath me.

In my defense however, the two I was with weren't much better. While I seemed to dissolve into a quiet state of almost divine revellry, Gina was laughing at everything—which was infectious enough to cause me to grin weirdly—and waving her hand trippily in front of her face and Micheal was walking more unsteadily than I was. He frequently fell and then grabbed Gina and pulled her into his lap where they'd make out for a while as though I weren't even there.

Evantually though, we reached _Las Noches _and with the amount of people staggering their way out I knew that we would fit right in. We stepped inside, greeted by flashing lights that sent me mentally reeling and loud music that pounded into my mind.

I was rapidly losing control, my mind swept into a weed-induced haze of light, colour, sound and smoke. It was all I could do to stay on my feet. We sat down, and ordered a Black Russian each. I'd never been to a bar before, so I wasn't sure what to do.

I looked around, watching a sea of ripped fishnets, leather jackets, and spiked hair. Feeling self-concious, I grabbed another cigarette and lit up. When my drink arrived I downed it quickly and asked for another. I finished that too, barely tasting it and Gina said I could have hers.

"Thanks," I said, but it was probably not heard. She and Micheal were making out again: hands softly groping, feeling in places that should've been kept secrets while in public.

I could feel the music pumping into my head, my heart pounding with it. I wanted to dance, I wanted to sway to that beautiful, magnetic beat and lose myself with everyone else in wave of colour and magick.

To steel my nerves I ordered another two drinks and finished them quickly. I loved the way the alchohol felt going down my throat: hot, making me crave more. I rarely drank, since I firstly didn't have money and secondly had next to no way of getting it; so I was really feeling very drunk by this point.

When I stood, my steps were shakier than before. I shrugged off my coat and left my bag underneath it. I doubted anyone would steal it and if they did I had my ways of getting it back. The main thing now was enjoying myself without letting myself get out of control.

I went to one of the outer corners, watching reflections in the many cracked mirrors set up all over the club: distorted reflections. I rolled my hips, raising my arms to tease through my hair, graze across my chest and flat stomach. I loved dancing. I closed my eyes, losing myself until I felt warm, heat spreading through my body demanding release. I resisted, trying to contain it…

The mirrors closest to me shattered—glass flew, sparkling and drawing blood, one shard slipped across the flesh of my exposed shoulder and ripped through it, bleeding.

"Shit."

Some people had stopped dancing, shouting as new, angry red wounds spilled. Most people just kept dancing, assuming it was just part of the atmosphere. I glanced at my numerous reflections to see I was still glowing; skin covered in a sheen of gold, and even from the distance I could see my eyes were black, pupils enlarged in a way that had nothing to do with the drugs.

This was too much…too much pounding…too much noise…I couldn't control it. Drunk, stoned, I fell to the ground, crawling away from the crush of bodies around me, terrified. Everything was confusion, disoriented.

I lashed out again, this one larger than the first; a desperate plea from my power straining to break free. It crackled across the walls, shattering mirrors, lights, bottles, throwing people apart. My only salvation was that in all the craziness no one could see the lone glowing girl, shaking with sweat.

I forced myself to my feet, my head spinning. All around me the sweet melding of music and colour had become a violent nightmare of voices, aggression, hazy vision.

I needed to get out of here…find someplace quiet and regain control before I accidentally killed someone. I blocked out the screams from my mind, knowing that I wasn't hearing them with my ears but from some place in distant memory.

Pushing through people, I grabbed my stuff and made a break for it. The owner wasn't bothering to catch me, busy keeping people from panicing as another wave rippled from me; near-invisible energy sliding across the ground this time like a tiny earthquake.

As I made my way to the door, a hand reached out and held my shoulder. I whipped around to find myself staring at a pair of enlarged dark eyes and a mass of red curls. A familiar feeling wrapped around me…aura of…

"Vampire!" I shrieked. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could I panicked and released more energy directly on to him, sending him flying to crash into a table. I barely heard the clashing of glass on floor or the yells. My mind occupied on keeping myself away…

…away from cold words, dripping in dark tones like a demonic chorus…irresistable for the most part…

I was so tired. Tired of running. From police, from my father, from creatures that literally stalked the night. I was tired of trying to hide from my own demons and a power I could barely control.

Drunk, still stoned, and confused my brain couldn't wrap around difficult thoughts. My body asked for rest and I wanted to give in. I knew a place I could go, a fire escape down a couple of blocks inside an alley. I slept there sometimes and was rarely bothered. Right now, crashing, aching, spent of power that was all I wanted.

When I reached it and lay my head on the cold, wet cement my eyes closed and I slept, exhausted.

**So, Jazelyn passes out. Guess who finds her while she's sleeping?? Hee hee. **

**So, she had a bad trip. I've had those. They majorly suck. And its pretty scary too, when you don't know what's going on. Anyone else every had those??**

**Anyway, I'm sorry there wasn't too much dialogue in this chapter it was mostly her trip. The next will have a lot, promise.**


	3. Chapter 3

**To: Shadows88: thanks again for the reviews hunn!! I don't think you're crazy im a major believer too, I've had enough experiences with ghosts to convince me. PS: I love the way you talk!! Its so charming where are you from?**

**Sorry for the wait with this one been REALLY busy. But now that I have some time im writing like crazy!!! Thanks for your patience.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Blood Ties. This is very sad. The lyrics are by Reira**

**Chapter Two: Wish**

The twinkling of the stars calls to the wind

Your smile erases the noise

The angel in your eyes is whispering

That everything is starting now

I could feel my head throbbing with pain before I was even fully awake. I left my eyes closed. Behind my lids everything was dark, which led me to believe that wherever I was, it was dark. I knew I wasn't in the street anymore, it was much too warm and comfortable.

I tried to move, and the only thing that escaped was a groan. For a moment I panicked, thinking that I was tied up and that was why I couldn't move. I realized quickly however that what was impending me from movement was my own sheer exhaustion: the drained, painful fatigue that came from using my powers.

I heard a movement close to me, the softest swish of clothing as it settled beside me. I counted in my head to ten, giving myself some time to get my strength together to open my eyes and prepare to sit up.

The vampire from the club was beside me, dark eyes staring intently into my face with an emotion I couldn't recognize. I knew enough about vampires to recognize that he hadn't fed and trusting from our earlier encounter was already on the defensive, even in my weakened state. I knew enough to be afraid of him.

"Why am I here?" I asked. I had meant to ask 'what am I doing here?' but the words hadn't made it properly from my brain to my mouth. It could be the fear.

"I was deciding what to do with you." I wasn't surprised by the blasé tone his voice held, as if he were casually discussing the weather. Vamps were like that. But I suppose anything that had lived a couple hundred years would gain that attitude, so I didn't begrudge him for it.

"So am I…what, a prisoner?" the word felt wrong somehow, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. Then again, it might also be the fact that I hadn't been able to brush my teeth in days. My breath must stink. I'm not sure why I was so concerned with the way my breath smelled—although the presence of a guy who was yes, dead, but also incredibly hot might have had something to do with it—when I should have been more concerned with staying among the living.

As if voicing my fears he said: "You're lucky I even gave you the chance to wake up and explain yourself."

Lucky me. "Explain myself?" I searched my memory. "Do you want an apology or something?" Shit, I hoped I wouldn't start babbling I tend to do that when I'm nervous. His dilated pupils—that I was willing to bet wasn't from weed, like mine—weren't helping my nerves very much.

"No, I want to know why you tried to kill the people in the club." His tone was serious and I couldn't hide my surprise. Since when did vampires care about anyone other than themselves? I didn't want to take too long to answer him though, I could sense the restrait he used even now to keep himself in line and stop himself from killing me. I marveled a little at his control.

"It was an accident. I—" I took a chance. "Look, I don't want to make you angry or anything but could you go less vampy on me? It's really making me nervous. Also, as an afterthought, I know you vampires don't really make use of personal space but I kind of value mine. So, if you wouldn't mind…"

He studied my face, as though trying to read a trick there. I suppose he found me to be honest, because his pupils shrank to human size, and more importantly, he backed away from me.

I let out a breath I hadn't even been aware of holding. At least I had the security of knowing that his little trick of mind manipulation was useless on me.

"Continue."

I liked the sound of his voice, smooth and masculine; strong without being too deep. It made my spine tingle, and I couldn't help wishing that I was hearing it under different circumstances. Since however, these were my circumstances I decided that I could leave the fantasizing for later.

"Like I said, it was an accident. I mean…I'm not even really good at the whole magick thing yet—I'm still trying to keep it under control and it keeps getting away from me when I'm—" shit shit shit! I was doing my stupid babbling again. I hoped he wouldn't be too angry. At the moment I didn't have the strength to defend myself.

"What do you mean when you say 'I'm still trying to keep it under control'? Are you a blood witch?" he asked, frowning.

"Yeah. Well, half—my mom was, not my…" I noticed his expression: thoughtful and annoyed. I really needed to get a grip. "…not my dad."

"If you're a blood witch like you say you are that would explain why I can't manipulate your thoughts and why you were able to attack me with so much power earlier. However…" his expression darkened. "I can't help but think there's more than you're telling me. Witches learn to use magick and control it early in life, during childhood, to prevent it from breaking away from them during adolescence. Either you're lying about the attacks being an accident, or there's something you aren't telling me."

"It's none of your buisness!" I snapped, and wished I could take it back. His pupils dilated and he moved freakishly fast closer to me and gripped my wrists with the strength a fucking linebacker couldn't have broken away from. I really wished I could hold my tongue sometimes.

I tried to shrink away from him but he didn't let me. When he spoke, I could see his fangs. The sight of them stole the breath from my throat. "Your history is something that doesn't concern me. But if you can't prove to me that you're harmless I will kill you."

I realized I was shaking and tried to still as he continued. "The only reason you aren't dead already is because I would dislike having to kill a child for without motive."

His eyes were frighteningly bright, and our faces barely inches apart. Rather than excitement though, the only thing I could think about was moving away from him.

The phone rang.

I saw his eyes flicker towards it and he seemed to be considering answering. "Stay here," he commanded and went to answer it. I took the opportunity to look around and catch my breath.

Now that I was alone I felt I could relax a little. I took a good look at the place I was in. Definitely an apartment, I could tell that much from looking out the window. It was slightly open, cold air drifting in, and a myriad of scents from the city streets below.

The place itself was really nice. It had mostly dark funishings, red walls with dark furniture. It had a peculiar aura around it as well, radiating a presence not only vampire. It seemed to be coming from the objects in the apartment, some books, a closed chest…I shifted my way around the couch I was on. Adjusting the pillow behind my back I put my combat-covered feet on the couch and wrapped my arms around my knees in a huddle. If the vampire didn't like dirty shoes on his furniture he shouldn't have kidnapped me to begin with.

I strained to listen to what was being said, pretending to look at the table and notcing how spotless the place was.

"I was there tonight…" Damn, if only my hearing was better. Most of what he said I couldn't catch. "…still determining…"

Fuck it. I could barely hear a thing, something that had probably been his intention. Of course, being a vampire he could hear all my movements and I was sure he was keeping a metaphorical eye on me from the next room.

I heard him hang up and come back into the room. He looked at my boots on the couch and raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Instead he leaned on the wall close to the couch.

"So…am I dead?" I asked. "I'm going to assume that I was at least mentioned in the phone call."

"Do you know what was said?" he asked me.

"Um, I tried…but I couldn't hear you very well so I gave up," I admitted sheepishly. His aura had changed again, it had become more relaxed and less threatening.

"I didn't mean listening with your ears." He said. I looked up at him expectantly. "I'm asking once: where do you live?"

There was so much meaning behind that question, meaning that wasn't lost on me. Another factor was whether he'd have to clean anything up if he killed me. It was easy to murder someone no one knew about and just hide the body. If I lived in a foster home or group home it would be harder.

"No where." I whispered. Whatever happened now was his choice.

For some reason, I wasn't afraid of him anymore. Nervous, yes, but no longer mindnumbingly afraid. It could have been the shift in his aura that had told me wasn't intending to hurt me. But sometimes, I think that it was in the moment that I said those words, my eyes on his, and he looked at me for no longer than a moment with sadness and understanding; that I first felt the beginning of my love for him.

**So…im sorry for the wait and I hope this chapter was ok!! I'm already started on the next one so it shouldn't take as long to post. Please read and review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**To everyone who reviewed or looked at this THANK YOU so much!! Whenever shit starts happening in my life I can look at this and see that someone likes my work and it always makes me smile. It was something I really needed to have this week. So thank you.**

**Im sorry if this chapter took a while. I hope everyone enjoys it because it was fun to write!! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Blood Ties. Regretably. The lyrics are by Within Temptation**

**Chapter Three: Frozen **

I can't feel my senses

I just feel the cold

All colours seem to fade away

I can't reach my soul

I don't know where the conversation would have gone after that, because the phone rang again. I could tell he was getting annoyed with it, but didn't want to risk it being something important.

With a look that said "stay here" albeit in a nicer way than before, he went to answer. I was left alone a second time on the couch.

Really, he had to be pretty damn cocky to be so sure that I wouldn't try to run. I supposed that if I really tried I might make it to the door…before he caught up and snapped my neck. Ok, maybe he had a right to be so cocky.

It was frustrating to feel like someone else was controlling my life. Again. At least he was respecting my wishes and refrained from going "vampy" on me.

When he returned he looked deciededly less pleased than he had with the first. "Who called?" I asked.

He looked surprised. "My editor."

"You're a writer?" I asked, interested. I loved reading and wondered now if I had read any of his things.

"I write and illustrate graphic novels," he said with a smile. I noticed how much better he looked that way and felt myself smile in return. Another part of me—much lower—stirred.

I wanted to ask him more about it but resisted. From my experience, vampires usually didn't mind sharing casual information but balked at personal questions. Asking him why he'd decided that as a career choice would definitely dip into the personal category. But I didn't want to lose the fragile friendliness in the air either, now that it was there.

So I decided the best thing to do was keep light, casual conversation. Preferably something informative that I might be able to use later. Once someone's guard is a little down its amazing what kind of things they'll say; implications they had never even realized. I did know that he probably wouldn't mess up, since from his aura I could tell he was old, a couple hundred at least and therefore used to mind games; but it never hurt to try. Well not usually.

"What's your name?" I asked curiously. "Or um…what should I call you?"

"Henry Fitzroy," he said. I could tell by now that his smile—charming, dazzling, and sensual all at once—was his best feature. I also reminded myself to get a grip and get my mind out of the gutter; he'd probably had a few hundred years to perfect that smile.

"And you're how old?" I asked. At his look, I added, "just to know."

He sat down, just a little distance from me but far enough that I wasn't being completely overpowered by his pheromones or turned into a nervous freak by his proximity. He leaned back casually, placing a hand on a demin clad knee. "It's rude to be asking so many questions about me without allowing me to ask any myself."

Plans backfire. I'm generally one to roll with the punches, so I did. "What do you want to know?" Feeling brave—and remarkably surer that I was going to make it to tomorrow—I added "Just so you know, if you won't answer personal questions, I won't either." Not yet anyway. I figured that if there was something he really wanted to know he'd get it out of me one way or another.

"Let's begin with your name then."

I didn't particularily like my name, especially because of how unusual it was. Being unusual was what had gotten my life into the mess that it was now in the first place. But I didn't see a point in lying about it so I said: "Jazelyn." At his raised eyebrow I sighed and added "Jazelyn Rivera."

"Jazelyn Rivera," he said, the name sounding beautiful and exotic coming from him. "I can't say it was a pleasure to meet you but it certainly turned out to be interesting."

"Really? Because I do this sort of thing all the time," I said nervously, trying and failing to keep my voice light, purposefully not meeting his eyes when he tried to look at mine. Vampires generally have beautiful eyes, but it was electrifying and someone terrorfying to look into them. In Aiden's I had seen a lonliness so deep that it had made me recoil; and with it the steely glint of one who knew and abused control, a cruelty subtly hidden in his presence that his eyes betrayed. I didn't know if normal mortals could see these things, but I'm certain that my bloodline had a little something to do with it as well, maybe an extra perception? I didn't really know, but either way, I had no interest to see the demons this Henry locked inside.

"How so?" he asked. His voice held no concern, but it wasn't crude interest either.

I stood up, going to the window. He didn't try to stop me, but I could feel his eyes rise with me. Outside, rain splattered against the window, droplets sprinking the glass and warping the reflections. The world outdoors was almost hazy through the glass, a soft melding of colours.

Without looking back I said "That, Mr. Henry Fitzroy, falls under personal questions." I hugged arms that were suddenly cold and coughed. It was a dry, almost hacking sound and my body bent as I tried to muffle it in my hands.

"Are you ill?" he asked me, getting up and going to my side.

"Not really," I said. "A little I guess. It comes and goes. The cough I mean."

"Perhaps you shouldn't be sleeping out in the rain then." He offered, albeit a bit sardonically.

"Maybe not," I said. I kept my eyes locked outside. He lived in a nicer neighbourhood than I'd seen in Toronto so far. There were no homeless teens huddled in groups around alleyways or Avondales, trying to escape the cold or look tough. No homies striding along the craved cement as though they owned it, looking for fresh victims in playgrounds.

But all the same, it was a street. Even during the night—in my opinion, a thing of beauty—in the soft glare of the street lights and shiny, rain slicked streets it looked as lonely as every other one I'd ever seen.

Despite everything, nothing would change for me. Maybe I could prove to Henry I was harmless, just lacking a little control but no big threat. Even if I lived, what difference did it make? I'd be heading right back out there.

And what I had said earlier "I do this all the time", a half-truth. Maybe meetings with vampires that didn't include my neck were rare, but going to men's apartments at this hour of the night wasn't. Not if what I wanted was to survive.

I didn't want to dwell on it right now. Didn't want to think about the future, something I probably wouldn't have one way or another. I wanted to think only about the fact that I was probably spending the night here, with a guy that actually turned me on, and was even looking somewhat concerned for my weak state of health.

"Jazelyn."

I suddenly realized that I had spaced out on him, caught up in my own thoughts and forgotten that he was standing there with me. He touched my arm lightly to get my attention and I unconciously flinched away. His expression faltered for a moment so quick that I may have imagined it and he moved his hand away.

"You look tired," he said. "You should sleep."

"I guess so," I said. "The couch is fine, right?"

He looked scandilized and I decided he must have been royalty at some point. I can't imagine a petty commoner like myself even capable of it. "Of course not. Unwilling or not," he said, giving me a little smile, "you're still a guest. You'll use the master bedroom."

"And what are you using?" I asked, a little taken aback. "I assume you're not going to leave a dangerous criminal like myself alone in your nice little place."

"The master bedroom," he said, as though it were all very simple. I suppose I looked a little suspicious because he added smoothly "you can choose you like, I promise to respect your personal space. And you don't need to be afraid of me for tonight at least. I wouldn't hurt a woman that way."

Promises were cheap things, broken as easily and carelessly as an empty bottle. I wouldn't exactly mind having sex with him—might welcome it, actually—but most vampires found more pleasure in dominating than the sex itself. Rape wasn't uncommon, even with the willing. And unlike Aiden, Henry seemed too powerful for me to fight off even when I wasn't ready to collapse.

I should have been more afraid. I was a little. But his voice, the emotion I couldn't place in his voice when he said "I wouldn't hurt a woman that way"…for some reason, I trusted that.

"All right," I smiled.

"Do you have anything you'd like to change into?" he asked, signalling to the left. "There's the bathroom if you need it."

I gave him an amused look. "I know you looked through my stuff, you know that I don't have an pjamas or even a toothbrush. Which is terrible, I know. Homelessness is no excuse for lack of personal hygiene." I was babbling again and I knew it. I swallowed and tried to steel my nerves.

It was more than the fact that we were going to sleep in the same bed together, it was more that he was a vampire. They're dead for all purposes in sleep, and it was unnerving to be next to that. It was also him. I wasn't sure if it was the man or the vampire that was making my head feel so light and dizzy; but I was reacting to something other than a complete lack of food or sleep.

I went in and he joined me a few moments later, and I looked away. The room itself was beautiful and dark. A contrast that I was beginning to discover how much he enjoyed. The walls were a soft brown/orange, with the light from outside casting long, thin shadows of the candles and furniture across the wall like thin, ghostly fingers.

The bed itself was a masterpiece: larger than any I'd ever slept in, silky black with plush black pillows. I longed to sink under the covers.

"Make yourself comfortable," Henry said, "I'll be back in a moment."

Somewhat nervously, I went to the edge of the left side and opened it up, sinking gratefully underneath. I had meant to stay awake until he was asleep but didn't even make it long enough to hear him silently reenter the room.

**All right, please tell me what you think!! The next chapter will be including more of the other Blood Books characters so I hope everyone will enjoy this chapter and the next as well!!!**

**Please review because it makes me smile.**


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